ئاو
Aw
Water
Usage
The basic word for drinking water, understood in any eatery or shop
Grammar Note
ئاو is 'water'. ئاوم دەوێت means 'I want water'. The initial ئ just carries the vowel a.
خواردن
Xwardin
Food
Usage
Food in general; 'there is no food' is خواردن نییە
Grammar Note
خواردن is both the infinitive 'to eat' and the noun 'food'. خو is read xw.
پارە
Pare
Money
Usage
Money in general; 'I have no money' is پارەم نییە
Grammar Note
پارە is a mass noun; to count it use a unit such as دینار (dinar).
حەمام
Ḧemam
Toilet / Bathroom
Usage
Used to ask for the toilet; it literally means 'bathroom' and covers both bath and toilet
Grammar Note
ح is ḧ. 'To go to the toilet' is چوونە حەمام. Ask the place with حەمامەکە لەکوێیە؟.
دەرمان
Derman
Medicine
Usage
The word for medicine at a pharmacy or clinic
Grammar Note
دەرمان is 'medicine' and the first half of دەرمانخانە 'pharmacy'.
بارگە
Barge
Luggage
Usage
Travel luggage; used when looking for your bags at an airport or station
Grammar Note
Originally a traveller's load. Ask کوا بارگەکەم؟ 'where is my luggage?'.
کلیل
Kilîl
Key
Usage
A key for a room or car; useful if you lose your hotel key
Grammar Note
کلیل is an Arabic loan. The plural is کلیلەکان.
بلیت
Bilît
Ticket
Usage
Ticket for a bus, flight or film; من بلیت دەکڕم means 'I'll buy tickets'
Grammar Note
بلیت is a loanword; 'ticket for X' links with the ezafe, as in بلیتی فڕۆکە 'plane ticket'.
پاسپۆرت
Pasport
Passport
Usage
Asked for at borders and hotels; دەتوانم پاسپۆرتەکەت ببینم؟ is 'may I see your passport?'
Grammar Note
The Kurdish spelling of 'passport'. ۆ is o. It takes -eke and -t: پاسپۆرتەکەت 'your passport'.
مۆبایل
Mobayl
Mobile phone
Usage
Mobile or smart phone; useful if you lose your phone
Grammar Note
A loan from English 'mobile'. A landline or phone in general is تەلەفۆن.
تەلەفۆن
Telefon
Telephone
Usage
The telephone itself; 'to phone' is تەلەفۆن کردن
Grammar Note
ژمارەی تەلەفۆن means 'phone number'. ۆ is o.
وێستگە
Wêstge
Station / stop
Usage
General word for a station or stop
Grammar Note
Add the vehicle with the ezafe -ی to specify the kind (وێستگەی پاس).
وێستگەی پاس
Wêstge-î pas
Bus stop
Usage
For finding a bus stop; ask for the nearest with نزیکترین وێستگەی پاس لەکوێیە؟
Grammar Note
وێستگە + ezafe -ی + پاس gives 'bus stop'. After ە the ezafe is written -ەی.
نەخۆشخانە
Nexoşxane
Hospital
Usage
Hospital; ask for the nearest with نزیکترین نەخۆشخانە لەکوێیە؟
Grammar Note
A native compound with -خانە 'house / place'. دەرمانخانە 'pharmacy' is built the same way.
دەرمانخانە
Dermanxane
Pharmacy
Usage
Where you buy medicine; look for one when you feel unwell
Grammar Note
A compound of دەرمان 'medicine' + خانە 'place'.
پۆلیس
Polîs
Police
Usage
The police; for when you need help
Grammar Note
A loanword. ۆ is o and ی is î. The same word names an individual officer.
باڵیۆزخانە
Bałyozxane
Embassy
Usage
The embassy, for example if you lose your passport
Grammar Note
A compound of باڵیۆز 'ambassador' + خانە. ڵ is ł and ی is y.
دوکان
Dukan
Shop
Usage
Small shops in general, e.g. when asking if a shop is open
Grammar Note
دوکان is a small retail shop; a big food store is a سوپەرمارکێت.
هۆتێل
Hotêl
Hotel
Usage
Hotel; هۆتێلەکە is 'the hotel'
Grammar Note
هۆتێل is by far the usual spelling; ئوتێل is rare. ۆ is o and ێ is ê.
فڕۆکەخانە
Fṟokexane
Airport
Usage
Airport; تکایە بمبەن بۆ فڕۆکەخانە is 'please take me to the airport'
Grammar Note
A compound of فڕۆکە 'aircraft' + خانە, written as one word. ڕ is the trilled ṟ.
ژوور
Jûr
Room
Usage
Room; used for hotel rooms and in دەتوانم بێمە ژوور؟ 'may I come in?'
Grammar Note
ژ is j and وو is long û.
ڕێگا
Ṟêga
Road / way
Usage
Road or route; ڕێگاکە خلیسکە means 'the road is slippery'
Grammar Note
Also spelled ڕێگە. ڕ is ṟ.
خێزان
Xêzan
Family
Usage
Family; خێزانەکەم is 'my family'
Grammar Note
خانەوادە is a synonym.
ناو
Naw
Name
Usage
Name; ناوت چییە؟ asks 'what is your name?'
Grammar Note
ناو also means 'inside' (لە ناوەوە). With a clitic: ناوت 'your name'.
سەر
Ser
Head
Usage
Head; for describing a headache and the like
Grammar Note
The owner is shown by a clitic, as in سەرم دێشێت 'my head hurts'.
چاو
Çaw
Eye
Usage
Eye; for describing eye problems
Grammar Note
The plural is چاوەکان.
ددان
Ddan
Tooth
Usage
Tooth; useful when you need a dentist
Grammar Note
ددان starts with a doubled د, pronounced as a long d. ددانم دێشێت means 'my tooth hurts'.
گەروو
Gerû
Throat
Usage
Throat; for a sore throat
Grammar Note
گ is g and وو is long û.
سک
Sik
Stomach
Usage
Stomach or belly; for stomach trouble
Grammar Note
The spelling has no vowel; a short i is supplied, giving sik.
پشت
Pişt
Back
Usage
Back; for back pain
Grammar Note
پشت also means 'behind'.
قاچ
Qaç
Leg
Usage
Leg or foot
Grammar Note
A foot is also called پێ. چ in قاچ is ç.
دەست
Dest
Hand
Usage
Hand; for hand injuries and the like
Grammar Note
دەست also has figurative senses such as 'control'.
گوێ
Gwê
Ear
Usage
Ear; for an earache
Grammar Note
Always write the ێ; dropping it gives a different word. گوێم دێشێت means 'my ear hurts'.
مل
Mil
Neck
Usage
Neck; for a stiff or sore neck
Grammar Note
The spelling has no vowel; a short i is supplied, giving mil.
شان
Şan
Shoulder
Usage
Shoulder; for stiffness or pain
Grammar Note
ش is ş. The ا is long a.
چۆک
Çok
Knee
Usage
Knee; چۆکت دێشێت؟ is 'does your knee hurt?'
Grammar Note
ئەژنۆ is another word for it. ۆ is o.
پەنجە
Pence
Finger
Usage
Finger or toe; for describing an injured finger
Grammar Note
پەنجە covers both fingers and toes. ج is c.
پێست
Pêst
Skin
Usage
Skin; پێستم وشکە means 'my skin is dry'
Grammar Note
ێ is ê. Note it differs from پێ 'foot'.
لووت
Lût
Nose
Usage
Nose; for a blocked nose or nosebleed
Grammar Note
وو is long û.
باسک
Bask
Arm
Usage
Arm; باسکم دێشێت means 'my arm hurts'
Grammar Note
قۆڵ is a synonym. The spelling has no vowel, so it reads bask.
قژ
Qij
Hair
Usage
Hair on the head; for the hairdresser or hair troubles
Grammar Note
ژ is j. The spelling has no vowel, so it reads qij.
دەم
Dem
Mouth
Usage
Mouth; for pain inside the mouth
Grammar Note
دەم also means 'time'.
More Central Kurdish (Sorani) phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Nightlife
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Health & Hospital
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
- Sports & Activities
- Public Transport
- Accommodation
- Banking & ATM
- Visa & Immigration
- Business & Work
- School & Education
- Cooking & Markets
- Music & Entertainment
- Art & Museums
- Festivals & Events
- Photography
- Laundry
- Post Office
- Language Learning
- Volunteering
- Accessibility
- Sustainability & Eco
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Markets & Souvenirs
- Car Rental & Driving
- Time & Dates
- Hiking & Trekking
- Hot Springs & Baths
- Yoga & Wellness
- Beauty & Grooming
- Remote Work
- Fashion & Clothing
- Convenience Store
- Martial Arts
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences